Plenty of parents go through the same cycle of having a baby, taking a long time off work, then finding the urge to get a job again. Stereotypically, mothers were the ones that did this, often sacrificing a career to look after a child. However, many dads now do this too, but both parents end up in a situation where the kids no longer need constant care & attention, leaving you with loads of time on your hands.
Therefore, the desire to go back to work fills your body – but what type of job do you want to do? You could go back to what you used to do, but why don’t you utilise your newfound parenting skills to forge a different career path? Let’s explore a few career ideas that are perfect for parents:
Caregiver
Becoming a caregiver makes a lot of sense when you consider what you’ve been doing as a parent for the last however many years. Your life has been devoted to looking after someone, so why don’t you do this and get paid for your hard work? There’s a wealth of care education out there for you to explore and engage with. Gaining the right qualifications is a nice challenge, and then you’re free to seek out care jobs as you see fit. It’s a tough career, but one that is incredibly rewarding and feels your parental urge to take care of someone.
Nanny
Again, a perfect career for a parent! Nannies are basically parents that look after other children and families. Provided to still have time to look after your family, this is a great opportunity to consider. When your kids are at school during the day, you could be a nanny for a family/families with younger kids that need looking after while the parents are at work. Effectively, you’re doing everything you did as a parent, but getting paid for it yet again. It’s similar to the previous career idea, only you’re dealing with kids instead of people of all ages.
Blogger
Yep, blogging is genuinely a career path you can go down in this day and age! It seems surreal, but you can work as a blogger and earn enough money to live very comfortably. Two routes present themselves, the first of which is to create your own blog. Parenting blogs are super popular as loads of mums and dads are seeking new advice and shared experiences all the time. Monetise your blog, and you can earn lots of money if it becomes popular. The second route is to write blogs for an existing company or website. You can do this either as a freelancer or contracted employee, but the gist is that you’re paid to write blogs. It’s perfect for a parent as you might write about your own experiences, but you also have a flexible job that can be done from home and fits around your life as a parent!
Loads of other career ideas exist for parents to try, but these three examples showcase how life as a parent sets you up for certain careers. If you’re in the mood to return to work after a long period away, think about any of these job possibilities.